Is it actually effective to criminalize drug use?

What the American public is seeing and also what policymakers and scientists are really

arguing is that it's not effective.

Hello and welcome to the 538 Politics Podcast.

I'm Gailan Dwayne.

Should marijuana be legal in the United States?

For the past 20 years, Americans have reversed their views on that question to a degree rarely

seen in politics.

In 2001, 34% of Americans said yes to that question according to Gailan.

Today it's 68%.

In fact, a breadth of polling suggests a majority of Americans today favor either decriminalizing

all drug use or significantly changing the punishment for it.

We've seen some bipartisan movement on the issue yet politicians don't seem to be walking

entirely in step with Americans.

Yes, last week House Democrats passed the more act for the second time, which would decriminalize

marijuana, but it's not expected to pass in the Senate as it stands.

That said, there is a bill that would end discrepancies in sentencing for crack and cocaine

that has picked up support from at least 11 Republican senators and looks poised to become

law.

So, today we're going to talk about drugs.

What Americans think we should do about them and how politicians are responding.

And here with me, to do that is Lester Black.

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